THE HOLY COMMUNIO N HAS A VARIETY OF NAME S Principl e 36 A variety of names demonstrate the richness of Holy Communion . Those names include the Lord 's Supper, Holy Communion, Eucharist , Mass, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Divine Liturgy and the Divine Service .
Background 36A Each name has come to emphasize certain aspects of the sacrament . The "Lord's Supper" speaks of the meal which the rise n Lord holds with the Church, the meal of the Lord's Day, a foretaste of th e heavenly feast to come . "Holy Communion" accentuates the holy
koinonia
(community) established by the Holy Spirit as we encounter Christ an d are formed into one body with him and so with each other. "Eucharist " calls us to see that the whole meal is a great thanksgiving for creation an d for creation 's redemption in Jesus Christ . "Divine Liturgy " says the celebration is a public action, carried out by a community of people . Yet , " Divine
Service " helps us to see that the primary action of our gatherin g
is God's astonishing service to us ; we are called to respond in praise and i n service to our neighbor . The term "Mass" is probably derived from the ol d dismissal of the participants at the end of the service and the sending awa y of the bread and the cup to the absent : it invites us into mission . "Sacrament of the Altar" invites each one to eat and drink from the tru e altar of God, the body and blood of Christ given and shed "for you "
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"The Grace-full Use of the Means of Grace : Theses on Worship and Worship Practices," 27 .
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